National Honor Society History
In 1921, the NASSP (National Association of Secondary School Principals) officially established the National Honor Society. Chapter membership recognizes students for their accomplishments and challenges them to develop further through active involvement in school activities and community service. NHS serves to honor those students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character. Each area has a different candle that symbolizes it: a blue candle, a red candle, a green candle and a white candle.
Blue: Scholarship- Scholarship means a commitment to learning. A dedicated student must be willing to spend hours in reading and study as he or she comes to know the lasting benefits of a cultivated mind. We should continue to learn even when formal education has ended, for education really only ends when life itself stops. Knowledge is one great element in life which leads to the highest success, and it can be acquired only in one what—through diligence and effort.. Learning furnished the lamp by which we read the past, and is the light which illuminates the future. National Honor Society candidates have the mission to expand their world continually through the opportunities inherent in Scholarship.
Red: Service- Service can be expressed in various ways. Many opportunities offer themselves to help others in the course of a day’s work. Willingness to work without monetary compensation or without recognition for the benefit of those in need is a quality we seek in membership. Selfless dedication to causes beyond ourselves can represent sacrifices of the most satisfying and necessary kind. We are committed to the idea of volunteering our time and abilities for the creation of a better future for all members of society.
Green: Leadership- Leadership must exert a wholesome influence on the school. In taking the initiative in class and school activities, the leader strives to train and aid others in the attainment of the same goals. The price of Leadership is sacrifice-willingness to put aside one’s personal interests for the sake of the interests of others. A leader demonstrates confidence in his own ideas and abilities, and will go forward when others hold back. Leadership by good example is always needed, and it is a quality which must be diligently cultivated by all our members.
White: Character- Character is the sum of all the qualities within a person which distinguish that person from others. Character defines each person’s individuality and personality. Without character, no one can respect oneself or hope to gain the respect of others. It is this strength of character which guides one through life, and when once developed, grows steadily throughout life. Character is achieved through effort and constant introspection; it is the product of continuous action, of daily striving to make good choices based on knowledge, ethics, and responsibility. By demonstrating such qualities as reliability, honesty and sincerity, we hope to prove by example that we value character very highly.
Blue: Scholarship- Scholarship means a commitment to learning. A dedicated student must be willing to spend hours in reading and study as he or she comes to know the lasting benefits of a cultivated mind. We should continue to learn even when formal education has ended, for education really only ends when life itself stops. Knowledge is one great element in life which leads to the highest success, and it can be acquired only in one what—through diligence and effort.. Learning furnished the lamp by which we read the past, and is the light which illuminates the future. National Honor Society candidates have the mission to expand their world continually through the opportunities inherent in Scholarship.
Red: Service- Service can be expressed in various ways. Many opportunities offer themselves to help others in the course of a day’s work. Willingness to work without monetary compensation or without recognition for the benefit of those in need is a quality we seek in membership. Selfless dedication to causes beyond ourselves can represent sacrifices of the most satisfying and necessary kind. We are committed to the idea of volunteering our time and abilities for the creation of a better future for all members of society.
Green: Leadership- Leadership must exert a wholesome influence on the school. In taking the initiative in class and school activities, the leader strives to train and aid others in the attainment of the same goals. The price of Leadership is sacrifice-willingness to put aside one’s personal interests for the sake of the interests of others. A leader demonstrates confidence in his own ideas and abilities, and will go forward when others hold back. Leadership by good example is always needed, and it is a quality which must be diligently cultivated by all our members.
White: Character- Character is the sum of all the qualities within a person which distinguish that person from others. Character defines each person’s individuality and personality. Without character, no one can respect oneself or hope to gain the respect of others. It is this strength of character which guides one through life, and when once developed, grows steadily throughout life. Character is achieved through effort and constant introspection; it is the product of continuous action, of daily striving to make good choices based on knowledge, ethics, and responsibility. By demonstrating such qualities as reliability, honesty and sincerity, we hope to prove by example that we value character very highly.